Brttce dotoan



Aug. 28, 1928. 7 1,682,169

8- DQUGAN PENCIL SHARPENER ified June 21, 19%

JNVENTOE .Bruce Dayan. E) M Patented Aug. 28, 1928.

BRUCE nouem, or en, LOUIS, mssoum.

PENCIL SHARPENEB.

Application filed June 21,

This invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in pencil-Sharpeners and has for its chief object the provision of a sharpener for the purpose stated that is simple, compact, and durable in form and structure, that may with an even, steady, smooth, and natural movement be easily and conveniently operated in economically sharpening the pencil, and which is exceedingly efiicient and satisfactory for use wherever found applicable.

My invention has for a further object the provision of a pencil-sharpener of such construction that a single reciprocating operating stroke in one direction at an easy, moderate speed, will impart a sufiiciently high speed at the cutters to sharpen the pencil, and a single stroke in the opposite or reverse direction will reverse the rotation of the cutters and tend to expel the pencil from the cutters.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to ,those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, from the disclosures herein given.

To this end, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts herein shown and described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the views,-'

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pencilsharpener embodying my invention, certain of the parts being broken away in order to show the invention more clearly;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the sharpener;

Figure 3 is a sectional view, taken approximately along the line 33, Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view. taken approximately along the line 44, Figure 2.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, there is shown a pencil-sharpener, and means for mounting the same in a fixed position, .so that the same may be conveniently used whenever desired. The mounting or supporting frame 1 may be of any desired size and thickness of material, and preferably has feet 2, preferably apertured, as at 3, for the insertion of fastening means, whereby the frame may be anchored to a desk, table, or other rigid structure or 1926. Serial No. 117,411.

foundation. Adjacent the top of the frame,

there is provided a horizontally extending means, as by screws 6, is a frame-work 7 for sup orting the rotary spiral cutters 8. These 5 arpeners or cutter elements 8 are rotatably journalled in inclined relation to each other in a carrier 9 in turn journalled for rotation on the frame 7 and having a pencil-receiving aperture 10 longitudinally disposed therethrough, whereby, when the pencil is inserted into the opening 10, the cutters 8 will engage therewith. A housing 11 may be hung over the several cutters, so as to receive and hold any cuttings from the pencil, the housing being easily removable, so that the same may be emptied from time to time.

Each of the cutter elements 8 has a pinion 12 secured thereto, which pinions mesh with a ring gear 13 fixed to the frame-work 7 and stationary therewith, so that, when the carrier 9 is rotated about its own axis, the cutters 8 carried b the carrier 9 and rotated bodily in unison t erewith, will each rotate about its individual axis.

The carrier 9 has a relatively small gear 14 fixed to its shaft 15, as shown, which shaft preferably extends through and has a bearing in the supporting frame 1, the ear 14 being disposed and concealed within a suitable recess formed in the frame 1, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. A gear 16, preferably larger in diameter than the gear 14: and meshing therewith, is mounted upon a stub shaft 17, so as to lie within a suitable recess provided in the frame 1, said gear 16 having its teeth extending into the guideway 4 so as to mesh with the teeth of the rack member 5. Thus it will be seen that a comparatively slow speed of rotation of the gear ment for the operator and is accomplished would be to thrust the rack-bar forwardly as uickly as possible and at an uneven speed while at the same time the tendency of the other arm of the operator would he to thrust the pencil forwardly into the tool and between the cutters 8, with the result that the exposed point of the pencil would be broken and the pencil quite apt to be unnecessarily cut away before a finished point were obtained.

A cushion stop 18 may be provided at the forward end of the rack, as shown, for engagement with the frame 1 to both limit the rearward movement or reciprocation of the bar 5 and to take up any resulting shock.

Preferably also a closure plate 19 is provided inwardly of the ring gear 13 to prevent the entrance into the gearing of tool of pencil clippings and the like which might interfere with or retard proper operation of the tool.

From the foregoing descriptiomit will be seen that I have provided a pencil sharpener that may be operated with but a single rear ward stroke of the rack member, such a stroke being given in a natural, normal manner at an even, steady speed, causing the cutters that engage the pencil'to rotate at ahigh, even speed, sharpening the pencil quickly and neatly without injury to the pencil. Furthermore, it will be obvious that by thereverse movement of the rackbar, the spiral cutters will be reversed in ro tation, and should the point of the pencil be retained in the cutters, will tend to expel orloosen or release the pencil from the cutters.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various modifications may be made in the same without departing from the'spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned, except as limited by the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat'- ent is: y

1. In a pencil sharpener, in combination, a supporting frame having a slide-way, a plurality of cooperating spiral cutters mounted for rotation on the frame, and means for effecting rotary movement in uni son of the cutters, said means including a car mounted for rotation on the frame and having driving connection with the cutters,

the

and a rack-bar arranged for reciprocating movement in one direction in said slide-way and having meshing engagement with said gear to operate said cutters to sharpen a pencil inserted therebetween, and for reciprocation in the opposite direction to reverse the rotation of the spiral cutters to release or expel'the encil therefrom.

2. In a pencil s arpener, in combination, a supporting frame having a slide-way, a plurality of cooperating spiral cutters mounted for rotation on the frame, and means for eflectingrotary movement in unison of the cutters, said means including a gear mounted for rotation on the frame and hav ng driving connection with the cutters, and a rack-bar arranged for limited reciprocating movement in one direction in said slide-way and having meshing engagement with said gear to operate said cutters to sharpen a pencil inserted therebetween, and for limited reciprocation in the o posite direction to reverse the rotation of the cutters to release or expel the pencil from the cutters, the said rack-bar having a handle at one end and a stop at its other or free end.

3. In a pencil sharpener, in combination,

a supporting frame, a plurality of cooperating spiral cutters, and means for effecting rotary actuation in unison of the cutters, said means including a cutter-carrier mounted for rotation on the frame, a gear on the carrier, a second gear mounted for rotation on the frame and meshing with the first gear the frame having a slide-way and a rack-bar arranged for reciprocation in one direction in said slide-way and having meshing engagement with the second gear to rotate said cutters in one direction to sharpen a pencil, and for reciprocation inthe opposite direction to reverse the rotation of the. spiral cutters to release or expel the pencil from the cutters. I

4. In a pencil sharpener, in combination, a supporting frame a plurality of cooperating rotary spiral cutters, a carrier for the cutters mounted for rotation on the frame, the cutters being adapted for rotation in unison about the axis of the carrier on rotation of the carrier, a gear on the carrier, a second gear mounted for rotation on the frame and meshing with the first gear, the frame having a slide-way above and in the plane of the second'gear, and a rack-bar arranged for reciprocation in one direction in said slideway, and having meshing-engagement with the second gear, to rotate said spiral cutters in pencil-sharpening direction, and for reciprocation in the opposite direction to reverse the rotation of the cutters to release or expel the pencil from the cutters.

5. In a pencil sharpener, in combination, a supporting frame, a. large gear journalled for rotation on the frame, the frame having a slide-way disposed above and in the plane of the gear, a rackbar arranged for reciprocation in said slide-way and having meshing engagement with the large gear, a carrier journalled for rotation upon the frame, a second, smaller gear on the carrier meshing with the larger gear, a plurality of spiral cutters carried for rotation by the carrier, pinions on the cutters, and a stationary ringgear meshing with said pinions, whereby a single reciprocation of said rack-bar in one direction rotates said cutters at high speed in a cutting direction, and a reciprocation of the rack-bar in the opposite direction reverses the rotation of the spiral cutters to expel or release the pencil therefrom.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

BRUCE DOUGAN. 

